Bulldog tops list of most popular dogs

January 17, 2008 9:18:17 AM PST

NEW YORK --

The bulldog has charmed its way into the Top 10 most popular breeds in the nation after an absence of more than 70 years, according to the American Kennel Club. The No. 1 dog remained the Labrador retriever for the 17th consecutive year.

The thick-set bulldog, with its low-slung body, sagging snout and wide shoulders, last made the Top 10 list in 1935, when it again placed 10th.

"The bulldog is both docile and adaptive and can thrive in small or large homes," the Kennel Club said Wednesday. "It's an excellent all-around family pet."

With the ascent of the bulldog, the miniature schnauzer dropped off the list.

The Labrador retriever was followed by the Yorkshire terrier, the German shepherd and the golden retriever.

The beagle, the only breed that has consistently been included on the Top 10 chart since 1915, came in fifth place.

The boxer, dachshund, poodle and shih tzu rounded out the 2007 most popular dogs, ranked by the number of individual dog registrations with the club in the nation's 50 largest cities.

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and sets the standards for 157 breeds.